Dear Dad:
This is my Christmas letter and here's hoping that it reaches you by Christmas time as we are assured that it will take precedence over all other mail and hustle across.
One of the men said it was not subject to censorship but I don't know as to that. Anyway I am going to tell you for the first time just where I am. We are at Villey St. Etienne. It is a small town - almost six miles from Toul, ten or fifteen miles from Metz and almost the same distance from Nancy - and almost twenty or thirty miles from Verdun. We are on one of the big fronts and you can have cause to give thanks that the war ended just when it did. We were to have the golden opportunity of seeing some real action and this is quite a little more active front than the one we left before we came here. That famous Moselle River runs by this town as well as that canal over which a lot of fighting has been done.
It may be that we will get to see the place where the real action was held when the war ended. Many of the officers have been up already and several are going tomorrow. It would be very interesting too and one might be able to pick up some good stuff there.
Am feeling fine and in the best of health and spirits and kicking to get home. We are all anxious to get home. I am ready to go to work the next day after I get home and then we will make things hum with Merritt in a good job. Things are going to go fine as soon as we get started again. I am powerfully anxious to get back to shoulder part of your worries and hopefully make the ball roll.
We are just marking time now and waiting for moving orders. I can tell you very confidentially that we think we are to be among the first of the troops to leave for home. Of course I have nothing particularly authentic to base my assertion upon but it remains to be seen whether my opinion is correct or not.
Mr. Spence wrote me that Beard has been appointed U.S. Attorney. That will mean I thinks' that I will go back in the firm and we will make good money too. I want to go back there and go right in to the office. I was in no condition to do my best while there because of the strain occasioned by the war and the fact that I knew I was soon to be called and at any time would have to drop everything and go. Now that load is clear off my mind and I feel that I can go into the office and get down to brass tacks and go to it with a different frame of mind. I know I can make good. I want the opportunity to try. The County Attorney business doesn't worry me a whole lot. I'd rather be in the old firm. It is a good place and you know how fast the fees came in. I am surely looking forward to going back. I want to get my last school money paid right away first of all. Then I will feel free and to go ahead and help get things straightened out and then life will be a long one of joy.
Saw Asa Huggins the other day. He looks fine. The Army has made a man of him physically. Les Ballard I see every day. He looks fine and is in excellent health. There are several boys from the County in our Regiment.
Tell mother that I haven't lost my love for lemon pie and sweet potatoes and the sweet and succulent bean and puddin'. I will be happy when I get my feet under the home table again.
Take good care of Deva. She is all gold Dad.
Stick to it Dad. I'll be home soon.
The Youngest Born,
Grant
